Forget that the calendar says the Warriors don't open the regular season until Wednesday night.

Head coach Mark Jackson effectively ended the team's preseason Monday, tidying up the remaining training-camp questions by clearing center Andrew Bogut for his first full practice and naming Harrison Barnes the starting small forward.

Bogut, who broke his left ankle Jan. 25 and had surgery April 27, had been practicing in controlled halfcourt sets for about a week. On Monday, he participated in the entire session, including fullcourt and contact drills.

If Bogut's ankle responds well to the extra workload, Jackson said, the big man will be available for the opener at Phoenix. Just don't think you're going to see Bogut playing 40 minutes right away.

"I think it's unrealistic to ask him to be Andrew Bogut in order for me to let him step out on the floor," Jackson said. "It's going to take time, but he certainly gives us a presence on both sides of the ball and makes us that much better. We'll wait until the real Andrew Bogut shows up, and we'll take this one for now."

Bogut might not yet be the player who has averaged 12.7 points and 9.3 rebounds during his seven-year career, but he's apparently pretty close. His teammates raved about the dimensions his low-post scoring and passing abilities added in the starting five's first practice as a unit.

"Just the fact that we have a full roster out there has everybody energized, and it brings up the competition a little bit," said point guard Stephen Curry, who gave his own surgically repaired ankle a clean bill of health. "We understand that these practices are crucial to get our rhythm and get out the final kinks of what we're trying to do."

Bogut was immediately one of the most vocal players during practice on the defensive end, already taking on his role as the team's defensive anchor.

"He's really good, so everything he does is magnified," Barnes said. "He's such a veteran, and he really understands the game. He was able to stay mentally sharp on the sideline, so he was able to step right in and was ready to go without missing a beat."

Barnes' adjustment to the speed of professional basketball has been almost as seamless, which is how he won the starting gig. The No. 7 overall pick averaged 10.4 points and shot 48 percent from three-point range during the preseason. He had 16 points (5-for-8 shooting) and seven rebounds against Phoenix last Tuesday. Barnes beat out Brandon Rush and Richard Jefferson.

Jackson said he likes Barnes' slashing ability in the starting lineup and the versatility of Rush and Jefferson, who can come off the bench for either Barnes or shooting guard Klay Thompson.